All My Dreams Fulfilled
by M.L. Fox
Summary: They don't indulge in romantic whims. They don't dance. But one, simple night they break their own rules. Sirius Black/Mary Macdonald. Inspired by Norah Jones' rendition of "Love Me Tender".


**Author's Note** **:** I am not dead! I don't blame you for thinking that I might be considering how I suddenly just stopped posting stories. Although, I _did_ remember mentioning that I was never good with keeping up with schedules... that and in the two years between the last story I posted and now I have been busy with university, life, and my unstable emotions. It took a long time, but now I (hope) have my life sorted so it's going to be good things from here on. Hopefully.

Anyway. I hope you enjoy this! Feedback is always appreciated.

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 **All My Dreams Fulfilled**

"Dance with me."

"What?"

Sirius grinned at Mary's perplexed expression. He stood in the middle of the deserted street—back straight and hand offered to her in the pompous, noble manner that would've made Walburga proud. They had just left Lily and James' place and decided to walk some of the way home. For a long while they strolled, talking about everything and nothing, and Sirius' chest was full of affection for Mary that he decided to traipse over to the middle of the street and ask her to dance with him.

"We've… never danced." Mary approached him, uncertainty in her voice.

"Never?" Sirius' grin dimmed. He dropped his hand and slipped it back inside his pocket.

"Would I lie to you?" She looked indignant, but he couldn't miss the smile that flashed on her face beforehand.

"You _have_ lied to me before."

" _Have_ I?"

"First of April."

Mary bit her lip as the corners of her mouth twitched. "I don't know what that means."

Sirius sighed and made a show of combing his hair back in distress. "You were cruel, Macdonald, convincing me I'd gone mad like that. I was driven to search for a cure—"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes! The cure for madness is humiliating, let me tell you—more so than spattergroit. But what choice did I have? So I did it. I–I wore a daisy crown, stripped naked, and bathed in flobberworm mucus while eating sheep's fur to—"

She burst out laughing and smacked him lightly on the arm. "Stop it! You did _not_ do that—you did not!"

He laughed with her, unable to help himself. "Oi. I considered doing it."

Mary's giggles grew louder. The echoes were sharp as it bounced around the houses along the street. It was a miracle that not one person peered out of their windows to berate the couple for disturbing the peace. The sound of Mary's joy was music to Sirius ears. It filled his whole being with so much affection that it sucked all breath out of him. He took her hand when she started to calm and pulled her close, circling his arm around her waist. She draped her arm around his shoulders and closed the remaining distance between them. He kissed her, thrilled to catch her in the middle of a smile. He held their hands aloft and gently swayed her to a song he once heard from Remus' Muggle records.

"We've seriously never danced?" he whispered after he pulled away. "Ever?"

"Hmm… never."

"Ah," he intoned, expression sheepish. "Well, I was never a dancer; skipped the lessons my mother had for me."

"But you _do_ dance."

"What d'you mean?" Sirius frowned at the knowing, vaguely amused smile on Mary's face.

"Before, whenever you lads threw those parties, I always saw you at the centre of the common room dancing with a girl." Her smile widened and a shiver trickled down his spine as she slid her hand up the back of his neck and tangled her fingers in his hair. "You definitely looked like a dancer to me."

An uncomfortable niggling settled in Sirius' stomach and he suppressed the urge to grimace. Of all the things Mary noticed about him—she noticed that. "Well," he drawled, avoiding her eyes. "I couldn't manage to avoid all the lessons. And to be fair, those girls _asked me_ to dance—I'd be, er, a prick if I declined, yeah?"

"What are you so alarmed for?" She laughed and tugged his hair. "I'm not much for dancing myself so I understand—you don't need to explain."

Sirius paused at that. Thinking back, he realised that while he made minimal effort to indulge in romantic whims like most couples, Mary was the same. He sifted through his memories and looked for any occasion where they did romantic gestures for each other and found none. Mary was right: they never danced. Sirius now inclined his head as he studied her. A light and yet dense feeling rose up within him, overwhelming him as he recognised the enormity of this moment. He suppressed his smile when she stared back, brows raised. "You're dancing now."

Mary's eyes widened as all signs of confusion vanished from her face. Their steps slowed and then stopped altogether. He watched her, delighted, as her cheeks reddened. The smile he tried to suppress escaped when she lowered her head to avoid his eyes. "You asked me to, you git," she mumbled, her voice so faint he barely heard it.

He laughed—an almost quiet, restrained, and husky sort of sound. He released her hand and embraced her properly. She chuckled along with him as she returned the gesture, her breaths warm against his ear. Sirius' chest tightened. It felt full, tingling, and ready to burst. In that moment he felt he could do whatever he wanted—live the life he always dreamed of, allow himself to feel so much happiness he needed two hearts to contain it all.

But, mostly, in that moment he just wanted to keep her there. Keep her close. And never let go.

Mary kissed the side of his neck and whispered three words against his skin.

His only answer was to nod and hold her tighter.


End file.
